Key Words D
of Community Development, Empowerment, Participation

Decentralization:

 Decentralization takes some power from the centre and puts it
 into the surrounding locations. It is not the same as
 democratization (it can be the decentralizing of tyranny) but can
 assist in democratization.

 (Español: descentralización, Français: décentralisation).

Demand Responsive Approach:

 A methodology of choosing to work with different communities
 based on the different amounts they each are willing to
 sacrifice. DRA is based upon the idea that communities differ in the
 amount or resources they are willing to sacrifice in order to invest
 in their own development.

 (Español: enfoque de respuesta a la demanda, Français: approche
 sensible de demand).

Democracy:

 The word, "democracy," comes from ancient Greek language, where
 demo means the people (as in demography) and cracy means power (as
 in bureaucracy or aristocracy). The word democracy, then, means
 power to the people. Ironically, ancient Greece was not very
 democratic in that the economy was based upon the labour of
 slaves. There are different kinds of democracy: eg representational
 democracy where the people elect representatives (eg Members of
 Parliament) to make decisions for them, and participatory democracy
 where the people are involved in making decisions. As a mobilizer,
 you are urged to promote democracy, ie in the community project, but
 you are not obligated to imitate the British parliamentary system.
 Look for what is socially appropriate.

 (Español: democrático, Français: démocratie).

Democratization:

 A process of social change towards increased political decision
 making power for all people.

 (Español: democratización, Français: démocratisation).

Dependency (Syndrome):

 The dependency syndrome is an attitude and belief that a group
 can not solve its own problems without outside help. It is a
 weakness that is made worse by charity. See: The Dependency
 Syndrome. (Español: síndrome de dependencia, Français: syndrome de
 dépendance).

Development:

 Many people assume that development means quantitative growth,
 whereas its main characteristic is qualitative change. To develop is
 to grow, and to grow means more than to get bigger; it also means to
 become more complex and stronger. When a community develops, it gets
 stronger and more complex. It undergoes social change. See
 "Culture." An economist may see development as only an increase in
 wealth or income (absolute or per capita); and an engineer may see
 development as a greater control over energy, or more sophisticated
 and powerful tools. To a mobilizer, however, those are only two of
 the six cultural dimensions of a community that change. Development
 means social change in all six cultural dimensions: technological,
 economic, political, interactive, ideological and world view. See
 Community Development. (Español: desarrollo, Français:
 développement).

Development Committee:

 The Development Committee is the Executive, Project Committee or
 CIC (Community Implementing Committee) of the community, chosen by
 the community as a whole, responsible for carrying out the wishes of
 the whole community. It is the product of your organizing efforts;
 see "Organize." (Español: comité de desarrollo, Français: comité de
 développement).

Dialogue:

 A dialogue is communication which is two-way. (The syllable "di"
 means "two"). It is contrast with the word "monologue" ("mono"
 meaning "one") which is one-way communication. A speech is a
 monologue (one-way); so is a lecture or a training presentation. In
 contrast, training should be participatory, where the participants
 (trainees) engage in two-way communication with the
 trainer. Communication with a community should be two-way, but often
 in the past has been one-way (dictation to the community, nothing
 heard from the community). A mobilizer should work towards a
 community being heard, and for communication (with authorities, with
 assistance organizations) to be two-way. (Español: diálogo,
 Français: dialogue).

Dimensions of Culture:

 Each dimension is composed of socio-cultural systems (eg the
 economic system) which combine to make a super-organic system. The
 six dimensions are: Technical, Economic, Political, Institutional,
 Value and Conceptual.

 A community is a cultural entity, so the dimensions also apply to
 communities.

 (Español: dimensiones de la cultura, Français: dimensions de
 culture).

Direct Labour Costs:

 These are costs which your business pays to employees who work to
 make the products or services you sell.
 (Español: costes directos del trabajo, Français: coûts de la
 main-d'oeuvre directs).

Direct Material Costs:

 This is what your enterprise pays for the raw materials to make the
 products or services you sell.

 (Español: costes directos de material, Français: coûts de matériel
 direct).

Disease:

 Illness is one of the five major factors of poverty. It is
 cheaper, more humane, and more productive for a society or community
 to prevent than to cure disease and to direct limited resources
 towards the treatment of a few common diseases affecting the
 majority of the population, rather than towards sophisticated
 equipment and skills for the treatment of a few wealthy people (thus
 the reasons for WHO promoting and supporting the principles of
 primary health care). Knowing this, you the mobilizer may challenge
 a community's first and lightly considered choice of a clinic, and
 perhaps let them see the logic and reasoning for first choosing
 effective water and sanitation systems to prevent water borne
 diseases.(Español: enfermedad, Français: maladie).

Dishonesty:

 Lack of integrity and lack of honesty. Dishonesty is one of the
 five major factors of poverty. Comes with various labels, including
 corruption, embezzlement, extortion and theft. It happens when
 wealth intended for development of the whole society is illegally,
 and usually secretly, diverted to benefit individuals who betray
 their positions of trust as servants of society as a whole. The
 resulting lack of trust contributes in turn to apathy and poverty.
 That is why you, as mobilizer and organizer of community
 organizations, promote transparency, integrity and honesty in the
 groups you organize.(Español: falta de honradez, Français:
 malhonnêteté).

Doing:

 Of all the ways of learning (reading, listening, watching), the
 most effective is by "doing." See Training Methods. Learning by
 doing can include doing directly such as doing a task in the field
 under supervision by a trainer, or doing indirectly such as
 participating in a role playing session or simulation game.

 (Español: practicando, Français: faire).

Due to:

 The phrase "due to" means some amount of cash or other resource is
 expected to be paid in the future. In a micro-enterprise scheme,
 you can speak of money owed to the bank as being "due to" the bank.

 Do not use the phrase, "due to," when you mean, "because of."

 (Español: adeudar, Français: dû à).

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Updated: 2003 November 4